Tough As Nails, Flawed As Jaspers
by Lynnth2014
Summary: This takes place when Beth sees Carol on the gurney. She knows what her job is, and she won't stop at anything to complete it; Carol won't lose another girl, and the group is on their way to help them with Noah's help. OC being Dawn.
1. Beth Greene

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

––

The air was tight in her lungs as time slowed way down. She couldn't think, couldn't blinked or look away. She couldn't really breathe. The cool feel of the scissors in her hand weight her down, stopping her movements entirely, and her eyes never left the dirty and slightly scratched up face of Carol Peletier as she lay unconscious on a gurney. Her body was still, her chest was caked in dirt, but she appeared to be breathing.

She went from completely focused on Dr. Edwards to stunned at the sight of Carol to scared for Carol's health as she wasn't moving then utterly pissed off that they had abducted her then hopeful that her family might be nearby. If Carol was here, so was the rest of their group. They had to be. But...if their group was with Carol, how did she managed to get taken by these assholes? Carol wouldn't let them take her. She just wouldn't, and their group wouldn't have let her get taken either. Unless they had gotten there too late. They would be coming for her, just like with Maggie and Glenn when Merle took them. They were coming here to get Carol back. Maggie was coming here.

"Beth?" Steven studied her. "What is it?"

"I'll help her," she blurted.

"Very eager for somebody who just tried to escape," Dawn noted.

Beth gripped the scissors tightly. "If I'm stuck here, I might as well be useful."

"Get some water then," Dawn barked. "Make sure it's warm."

"Fine." Beth hid the scissors as she turned and got warm water to clean Carol off with. She set the scissors down on the table once the bowl was full then she carried the bowl of water back to Carol's room. Dr. Edwards tended to her wounds and vitals with Dawn hovering close by, watching Beth's every move, studying her body language.

"That'll be all, Beth," Dawn said when Beth started to wet a washcloth.

"I can do it."

"That'll be all, Beth." Her tone was tight, left no room for arguing.

For Carol's sake, Beth listened. She clenched her jaw and set the washcloth down, taking one last look at Carol before she exited the room. She returned to her room and began to pace the length of the bed, her head reeling.

They weren't going to let her near Carol if they suspect she knew her. They might do something to Carol just because they could. Or maybe not, because they needed people to replace Noah and Gorman and Joan and the other officer that was killed. She couldn't wait around here and hope for news on Carol's condition. Carol was strong, Beth knew that, but she didn't know what happened to Carol. Where did they find Carol? How did they manage to take her? Was it similar to how they took Beth? Was she surrounded by walkers? No, no, Carol could handle walkers. She knew how to fight, and she was a great shoot. Carol could take care of herself, just like Beth could, so they would've had to have hurt Carol somehow. Caught her off guard or something.

Beth frowned, shaking her head. How did the group let Carol out of their sight? It made no sense. They always had each others backs, that's how they did things that winter on the road, so what happened? They wouldn't have let her go off by herself, not even for water or to simply relieve herself. There was no way in hell they would have let Carol come into the city without somebody going with her. Unless...Was Carol all alone after the prison fell? Was she unable to reach anybody?

She stopped pacing, a cold shudder running through her. That must have been horrible. To be out there all alone, tensing every a twig snapped, knowing there was nobody there to have your back. To try and work through the loss at the prison all alone. It was just you against every walker and every human until you found somebody who you could trust. Thank God Beth had gotten out with Daryl, and even though it was rough, they made it. She even managed to help him see hope again, and they were friends. They were just getting to know each other. It was a start. It was great even. She wasn't alone. She had a strong man who could track and who teaching her how to track and hunt. He was teaching her how to survive should anything happen to them, say they were separated or he—God forbid—died somehow, and she wouldn't forget that. She would use what Daryl taught her to get herself and Carol the hell out of this place.

She had gotten Noah out of here, and she was so happy that he made it, but now she understood why she hadn't gotten out with him. God made her get captured again, because He knew Carol was coming here. They needed each other to get out of this hell. They would get out of there, there was no questioning that. She just had to make sure Carol was all right. No matter what her condition was, good or bad, she had to make sure Carol got her strength back. She wouldn't let Dr. Edwards kill her. If he tried, Beth would strike first. She wasn't going to watch another one of her family members die right before her eyes, especially not in this hospital. She refused.

She took a deep breath and looked out the window. Tonight, she would go see how Carol was doing. She knew Steven wouldn't tell her anything anymore. She didn't need him to tell her. She'd shown her true colors, and they would all be watching. She was going to give them on hell of a show. She and Carol both. They weren't weak. They weren't submissive. They wouldn't be broken. Not for them, not for anybody ever.

She turned to look at the door. Dawn might try and lock her in after her escape attempt, so she needed to rig the door to simply appear locked, but would still be able to be opened. How could she do that? It was a pull/push design, so how was she going to do this?

She opened the door and looked over the lock quickly as to not draw attention to herself. She shut the door silently and crossed her arms. Damn, what she wouldn't give for Google right now. If she had a wish, she would use it to reunite the group and end this nightmare once and for all.

She turned back to the door. Maybe if she slid something in between the lock... She looked around the room, but she knew there was nothing that would work. Dawn would check in on her, probably ask her if she knew the woman they'd just brought in, so she couldn't sneak out beforehand. She couldn't just wait in here all night. She had to know how Carol was doing like right now, and what happened to her. She had to make sure Carol got the medical attention she needed too, so she couldn't bum rush Dawn and find Carol. It just wouldn't work. Dawn was solid, agile, and Beth wasn't entirely sure she could take her. She would try, but Dawn had a gun and a baton and police hand-to-hand training. Shane and Rick may have taught her how to shoot, but nobody taught her how to fight hand-to-hand. She and Maggie fought, but it was never physical, just a lot of yelling.

Well, she wasn't going to give up. The bigger they were, the harder they fell. Besides, where there was a will, there was a way. There was always a way.

––

That night, Beth never heard Dawn come lock her door. She didn't hear any movement whatsoever, and she studied the door with the dim light the moon provided. She knew Dawn was testing her. She knew Dawn was lurking around out there to see what she would do at the hint of freedom. Beth would never have a chance to run; Dawn would beat her down before she even got close to the exit. This was about Carol. Dawn probably wanted to see if Beth _did_ know her. She wanted to see just how far Beth would go to see Carol.

Guess she was going to see quite a lot tonight. Beth pushed the blanket back and slipped out of bed. Softly, noiselessly, she pulled the door open and scanned the hall; it was empty. She stepped out, closing the door behind her ever so gently, and she hurried down the hall, careful that her shoes didn't make noise.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, making her sick to her stomach, but she was focused and knew what she had to do. She had the scissors tucked into the waistband of her pants, and she could easily reach them. She was prepared for whatever they were going to throw at her. She was ready to fight tooth and nail. Carol was her family, and she didn't give up on family. In any case, Daryl would never forgive her if she didn't check in on Carol.

She imagined the look on his face when he saw them again—and they would see him and Maggie and the others again—and she smiled to herself. She'd prove herself wrong. She wasn't some dead girl. She was Beth, and she was going to make it. She was more than capable. They would all be there, standing together, in the end. Maybe one day Maggie and Glenn would have that baby, and maybe they would all die of natural causes, meet Death smiling. She hoped so, and that was enough.

"Another one?" a female voice sounded. It was Shepard.

Beth stopped and pressed her back flush against the wall, listening, her hands curling around the scissors.

"She's not too badly wounded," a male voice said. It was one of the other cops, Beth didn't know who he was. "She's in better shape than the last one we brought in."

"That doesn't mean much."

Beth peered over the corner to see one of them, Shepard, was leaning in the doorway to a room, and the other one, the one Beth didn't know, was tying his shoe. Since there weren't many lights on at night, she was almost entirely enveloped in darkness, so they might only be able to see her skin or her hair, but if she was quick enough, soundless enough, they wouldn't notice. She had to be careful. She didn't get a second chance with this.

She tiptoed to the other wall, stilling her breathing as their conversation halted for a moment then began again, very causal. Exhaling slowly, she made her way to the room where Carol was. The room to Steven's office was close, so she made her move. She opened the door and left the door ajar behind her. She looked at the gurney and tensed.

It was empty.

_**What?**_ "Oh, no, no, no," she breathlessly murmured. Where was she? Oh, God, where was she? She looked around, having only the moon's light from the crack she'd left with the door, and she saw a pile of clothing. She scooped them up, finding Carol's shirts and her pants. Her weapons had been taken by them, Beth assumed, not even finding Carol's belt. She felt something in the pocket of her pants and dug it out. She looked over the bumpy object, running her fingertip over it. "Huh."

It was a jasper. How odd for Carol to have a jasper.

Abruptly, the lights flicked on, and Beth shot up, turning around to face the person who followed her as her eyes adjusted to the sudden light. She gripped the jasper tightly in her hand as her eyes fell on Dawn Lerner, who was gripping her baton lightly in her hand, her eyes guarded.


	2. Together

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

––

"What do you think you are doing?" Dawn's eyes flashed.

Beth lifted her chin. "Nothin' that concerns you."

"Everything you do concerns me, Beth." She gripped the baton. "What's that?" Her eyes went to the hand that held the jasper.

Beth simply looked at her.

"I'm trying to help you. I've done nothing, but try to help you since you arrived, and all you've done is fight me. You could've excelled here, Beth. You really could have."

"You wanted me broken," Beth spat. "You want weak people who ain't ever gonna oppose you! People who've let this world break down them down! Do you wanna know why you seek out weak people? It's because you're weak too!"

A muscle in her jaw jumped. "You know that woman, don't you?"

"Her name is Carol," Beth informed her, her eyes guarded, her body in a stance that showed Dawn she wasn't afraid. "She's my family and a good friend as well. She's really smart and brave, and you know what? She's goin' to kick your ass, no matter what you do to me."

Dawn studied Beth. "Carol." She thought for a second. "I don't think she'll do much damage with her injuries. They're bad, Beth. She may not make it."

"Your games don't work." She met Dawn's eyes. "I know who I am and what I want. I chose to live, and I'm gonna live, so you do whatever you're gonna do and go to hell!"

Before Dawn could strike Beth, Dr. Edwards rushed over to her. He sensed the tension and looked between Beth and Dawn.

"What is it?" Her eyes never left the small blonde who thought she knew what was what better than Dawn. It was almost amusing to see the little kid so proud of herself, so sure this woman was going to beat them all. This Carol was just one woman. What the hell could she do?

"The woman that was brought into today, the one they ran into on the road—she's gone!"

"Gone?" Dawn whirled around. "Gone?! How in the hell can she be gone? She was heavily sedated!"

"I don't know. I don't know how! I went to check on her, and Shepard was supposed to be on watch, but when I opened the door, Shepard was lying dead in a pool of her own blood and the gurney was empty." He shook his head. "I don't know where she is. Or what she wants."

Dawn closed the space between her and Beth, and she grabbed Beth forearm and jerked her closer. "She wants her! She knows the woman. She said her name was Carol."

Steven looked at Beth. "How dangerous is she?"

Beth said nothing, just watched the fear swell in his eyes.

"How dangerous?"

"Very." She smirked. "I'd start runnin' if I was you."

Dawn tightened her grip and hauled Beth to her office, handcuffing her to the filing cabinet. She sent Steven to alert the other officers, and she turned back to Beth, looking her over. "She'll be dead by morning, I assure you."

"Dawn!" Beth growled to stop her from leaving.

She glanced back.

"She'll kill you before you even know she's around!" Beth's eyes were cold. "Nobody can protect you now! You'll pay for what happened here, what you let happen to Joan and to every other young woman and man!"

"Tsk." Dawn closed the door and locked it, grabbing her flashlight and turning it on as she went to search for Carol.

Beth gripped the handle to the drawer and yanked it out, kicking the filing cabinet to try and loosen the drawer as she pulled with all of her strength. She groaned as the cuff dug into her wrist, and she began to pant, her efforts not doing much.

She wiggled the drawer, trying to loosen it, and she kicked again and again, wishing she had her boots to help cushion the blow on her foot. She was going to get free. She just had to keep this up. It was just metal, and everything gets worn down through the years, no matter how well you take care of it. She was going to get out and find Carol.

"Arrgh!" Beth grunted. "Come on, you piece of shit!"

––

Carol swallowed, hearing a beeping sound right beside her that came from a hospital monitor, and she opened her eyes to find a hospital room before her. She didn't feel any paint, not even a slight pain, in her ribs and her left leg anymore. She must have been given some type of painkiller, and it was probably meant to keep her unconscious. Perhaps they were running low on supplies. Or maybe her body had woken her up. She wasn't sure, but she knew it was time.

She sat up and saw a woman guarding the door, though she was distracted by adjusting something in her collar. Carol scanned the room and saw a pair of scissors on the counter. She grabbed them and settled back onto the bed, removing everything they'd attached to her finger and stuck into her arm.

The woman heard the machine flat line and rushed inside, Carol thrust the scissors through her forehead when she leaned over and then she grabbed the woman's gun and baton. She swung out of the bed and let the woman collapse into a pile onto the floor. She slipped the baton into her waistband and held the gun in one hand and the scissors in the other. She peered out the door, scanned both left and right, and she chose left, hurrying down the hall.

She knew Beth was here. She had been with Daryl when they came across Noah. Daryl had seen a car with a cross on the back of it speeding after him, so they helped the kid. He told them about the hospital, about the abuse and about Beth. Daryl immediately wanted to storm their fences, but Noah told him about the walkers. They wouldn't get close between the walkers and the sniper on the roof. They had to plan this out, and finally, Carol decided it would have to be her. She would destroy them from the inside out and let Daryl go back with Noah to get the others and clear a path for Carol and Beth when they made it to the front doors.

They only take people who appear weak, who appear to be or can be made servile. Daryl was a big man. He had muscles and could easily take one of—or all of—them down. They would leave him behind in a heartbeat, just like Noah's father, but Carol. Carol was small, had an innocent face and the gray in her hair would make them assume she was some little old woman who couldn't hold her own. They would take her back, because she was the type of person they wanted. She was also a woman, so that was a plus. Noah wasn't sure he approved of that plan, neither did Daryl, but what choice did they have? Beth was in there, and they would watch her like a hawk since she just tried to escape. Carol was their best bet. She was going to give them one hell of a surprise. They'd learn a lesson about women they probably never wanted to learn.

She heard movement. Two sets of feet, one of them was a woman and the other was a man. She could tell by his boots that were echoing through the hall, smacking the floor harder than the woman's. They weren't really close to her, so she had a minute or two. Carol didn't want to let them know where she was just yet, so she slipped the gun into her waistband and gripped the baton. She cut part of her shirt off and opened the scissors, binding them to the baton tightly, fashioning herself a melee weapon. She'd seen how Shane taught Carl how to tie knots, and she remembered a few things. This knot especially.

The woman came first, and Carol bashed the baton into her face, her body jolting back a little before falling to the floor; the baton was embedded in her forehead. The man reached for his gun at the sight of his partner falling to the ground dead with a baton sticking out of her forehead, but Carol was faster and shot him in right between the eyes.

Panting as adrenaline coursed through her body, she unbuckled the woman's belt and tied it around her own waist. She tucked the man's gun into her waistband and ripped her weapon free of the woman's face. She continued down the hall, hearing voices as they followed the sound of the gun. She remembered Noah telling her exactly where Beth's room was, and she headed there.

––

"Where's Carol?" Michonne asked, her heart skipping a beat at the expression on his face.

"Come on out!" Daryl turned as Noah came out of the bushes, Michonne eyed him, and Daryl gave him a nod, telling him it was all right. He joined them, and Michonne noted his bloody scrubs and limp. She couldn't wait to hear this story, and she hoped he explained in it where the hell Carol was.

They returned to the church, Rick looked relieved to Daryl, but his eyes flashed at the sight of a young boy and no Carol.

"What the hell happened here?" Daryl noted the blood and missing people immediately upon entering the church.

"They're fine," Rick assured him. "They went ahead to Washington; we were waiting for you and Carol to return before we joined them."

"Where is Carol?" Tyreese asked.

"And who the hell is that?" Sasha eyed the kid.

"This is Noah." Daryl ushered him forward. "He was with Beth."

Silence filled the room as Daryl explained what happened with Carol since they all knew what happened with Beth. He told them about the car and about how they ran into Noah, leaving a few details to himself that they didn't need to know, and he told them their plan. Carol was waiting for them. She walked out into the road, they slowed down but still hit her—Noah had to tell Daryl to let her be, because he wanted nothing more than to run over, protect Carol and beat the shit out of those motherfuckers for taking Beth—and they took Carol back with them. She was going to get Beth, and they were going to get out of there. Daryl and the others were to help eliminate the walkers by the doors and take out the sniper so they could escape that way.

"And how did you escape?" Rick asked Noah.

"With Beth's help." He was sitting on a pew, resting his injuries. "She took out Gorman—one of the "officers"—got his gun, and we went down an elevator shaft. She shot the walkers that were down there, cleared us a path. We were so close to getting out, but...by the time I was through the gate, they others had caught up to us. I didn't have a weapon, and the look in her eyes told me to go, so I did."

"Good thing you did too," Daryl assured him. "Otherwise this could have been a lot messier."

"So, we all head back to the hospital, clear out the walkers from the yard and that's it?" Michonne crossed her arms. "Carol and Beth will be waiting for us?"

He nodded.

"Only three of us will go," Rick decided. "Tyreese and Carl, I need you two here to protect Judith."

Carl nodded.

"Sasha, Michonne, Daryl and I will follow you back to the hospital." Rick looked Noah over. "Can you make the trip?"

"For Beth? Hell, yeah." He wasn't going to leave her in there. She was at a bigger risk than him from both Dawn and the men, and he owed her. She saved his life; he was going to help save hers. "I just need a minute."

"That's fine. We need to get our weapons together." Rick met Daryl's eyes as Sasha and Michonne looked over the weapons, and Carl gave Noah some water to drink. "You all right?"

Daryl was far from all right, but he knew they'd be just fine. Carol was tough, and Daryl taught Beth as much as he could in their time together. Those women were like steel, and they had each others backs. They were going to be just fine. He knew this. He refused to lose either one of them. They were his family, and he would get them back. He offered Rick a shoulder shrug, because he had nothing else to give.

"Thank you." Noah accepted the water. "I'm Noah."

"Carl." He smiled. "How was she? Beth, I mean."

"Relentless." He smiled to himself. "She's...definitely capable."

He nodded, hearing his baby sister fuss, but Ty went to sooth her. "Good." He reached into his pocket, but remembered he'd lost the jasper he'd found on the tracks to Daryl in a bet just before everything went to hell here. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. He'd lost worse.

Daryl walked over to Noah and held out a gun. "Can you use this?"

He nodded, pushing himself up and taking the gun. "I'll make every shot count."

"You'd better."

––

Blood ran down Beth's arm as she finally managed to get the drawer free, the sun partly shining in on her. She stumbled back, panting, but never once stopping. She opened the drawers in Dawn's office, but there were no keys to the cuffs inside, so she grabbed the next best thing: the spare keys to unlock all the doors. She knew Dawn was a clean freak, so she didn't worry about germs when she put the keyring into her mouth.

The door was locked—of course Dawn had locked it—so she gripped the drawer and busted out the glass to the door, carefully climbing out. She'd heard gunshots and screams while she was locked in that room, so she knew Carol was trying to find her way out. Beth had to find her too.

She took the keys out of her mouth and dropped then into her bra. It was the only place she had to put them, and it kept them out of sight. She gripped the drawer, prepared to use it like a weapon, and she ran down the hall, seeing a flash from a gun being fired. She braced herself, gripping the drawer tightly, ready to use it to bash in any of these hospital staff faces' if she had to. She wasn't dying today; Carol wasn't dying today.

Someone grabbed her ponytail, she groaned and was yanked back, a gun touching her temple. She couldn't move, and she knew by the smell it was Dawn. She clenched her jaw and smirked. "Scared yet?"

"If I were you, then yes I would be scared." She was very calm sounding, but her eyes were scanning the halls, waiting for any sign of movement, and normally neat bun was messy and pieces were hanging in her eyes. She felt like a caged animal, and if this woman wanted Beth, she would get Beth.

"You had your chance," Beth told her. "You coulda just let me go."

"And you had your chance," Dawn growled. "You could've been one of us, but you just couldn't follow a few simple rules."

"I didn't ask for your help," Beth reminded her again. "I was doin' just fine on my own!"

"You would've been killed, and it's a shame you'll be killed anyway."

"Get away from her, you bitch!" Carol commanded.

Dawn's eyes zeroed in on the silver-haired woman, her gun trained on her head, and Dawn held Beth closer, moving so that Beth's head blocked any opportunity of a head shot. "Look, you want the girl, I want you gone. I think—"

Beth met Carol's eyes, Carol gave a barely noticeable nod, and Beth then closed her eyes. She slammed the back of her head into Dawn's face, causing her to trip back as blood ran down her lips, and Beth fell forward onto her knees purposefully. Before Dawn could react, Carol shot her right between the eyes, and Beth looked back at Dawn over her shoulder as she crumbed to the floor.

Carol ran over to her, grabbing the keys from the woman's belt and removed the handcuffs, looking over her wrist momentarily.

"I'm fine," Beth assured her, grabbing Dawn's gun.

"I know." Carol took her hand and hauled her up, glad the painkillers were still going strong in her system. For now, anyway. "Daryl's on his way with the others. We're going to meet them by the front door."

"Daryl?" Beth smiled. "Daryl found his way back to y'all? And Maggie? Is Maggie—?"

She nodded. "We'll have plenty of time to talk—later. C'mon, we gotta move."

Together, they ran down the hall, Beth leading as she knew the way, and the staff that Carol hadn't taken care of were lucky to have avoided coming into contact with them. They were together now, and they were stronger together. If anyone stood in there way or tried to hurt the other, it would be the biggest mistake of their life. Carol wasn't losing another girl, and Beth was getting out this time **with** Carol. No one was going to get left behind.

They made their way down to the first floor and heard the banging of walkers on the front doors. Beth licked her lips, and Carol adjusted the belt on her hips. Beth grabbed the keys out of her bra, Carol didn't even bother to question why they were there, and they hurried to the front doors, stopping only when one man stood in their way.

Dr. Steven Edwards stood before them, holding a gun and looking between them, shaking his head, with blood all over his coat and splattered onto his glasses. Carol saw the tissue on his boots, and Beth didn't take her eyes off the gun that was shaking in his hand. It would appear he'd stepped up, and as he raised his gun, they could see just how much.


	3. Ending The Nightmare

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing._**

––

Rick scanned the area, Michonne, Noah and Sasha were behind him, and Daryl was right beside him, looking over the fence to the hospital. There were walkers everywhere, more than just a few dozen. They could take them out, but it might take a while. With the sun up completely now, they weren't worried about what was lurking in the dark. The sniper was on the roof, pacing back and forth, and if they took him out, they would draw the walker's attention.

They'd spent a good hour or two scooping out the place, finding only one way in and one way out. They saw the cars that were parked inside the fence; they would use those to get back to the church. Sasha and Noah were going to get two cars started while Rick and Michonne and Daryl checked out the inside. They would have to get by the front door, but they had a few ideas about that.

Gunfire sounded from inside the hospital, the walkers all swarmed toward the noise, and the sniper ran inside. It was their lucky day.

"We can take 'em out against the fence, just like at the prison," Rick told them, watching as they all pooled toward the door. "Let's hope they're waitin'."

"They will be," Daryl assured him.

"All right then." He looked at his brother. "You and Noah get on one of the roofs of those buildings. If we get into trouble down here, we need you to make every shot count."

Daryl nodded. "You ready, kid?" Noah gave a nod. "Let's move."

––

Dr. Edwards pointed his gun at Carol. "You did this." His voice was just as shaky as his hands. "You killed them."

"I did what I had to," Carol replied.

"Put the gun down," Beth commanded, raising hers. "You know you don't want to hurt anybody."

"I had to kill one of my own!" he shouted. "I knew that woman since before the start of all this! I had to kill her like she was back alley mutt because of you two!"

Beth glanced at Carol. "So we have. We've both lost people close to us, and if you just—"

"I should have **never** defended you," he muttered. "There was system, and it worked. It was working. We were doing this for the greater good. It was all for the greater good, and now...you... You two have destroyed everything!"

Carol felt the painkillers begin to wear off as he shouted incoherently at them, and she felt a little dizzy. "Beth—"

"I'll shoot you," Beth promised as he came a little closer, her gun trained on him, "but it doesn't have to be like that. We can go our separate ways. Maybe get some medicine for Carol. That's it." She knew Carol would be in a lot of pain soon, and they didn't have any meds that would help. Maybe the others did, but if they didn't, Beth didn't want Carol to suffer. "You can still stay here. We don't want anything more from you, just meds and to get by."

Carol, as if sensing someone coming their way, glanced over to see a man in a police workout shirt and jeans appeared in the hall beside them. She swept her eyes to her left to see a female officer there with a shotgun. She grabbed Beth and yanked her back out of the range of the shotgun. "Run as fast as you can!"

She saw the woman and gasped, barely moving out of the way in time as the woman shot at them. She turned on her heel and ran down the hall with Carol beside her, but Carol wasn't moving as quickly, and Beth fired back blindly at them to try and slow them down. She didn't want to kill everybody here. She just wanted to get out and be with her family again. They had a chance to live. Why wouldn't they take it? A life here where they weren't truly living had to be better than dying.

She glanced over and noticed that Carol slowing down, wincing in pain. "Here." She slid her arm around Carol's waist and led her down the hall, trying to put as much distance between them and the cops as possible. "C'mon." Beth took on some of Carol's weight, and both luckily and sadly, they were both very small, so she managed as they trudged through the halls.

Before too long, Carol couldn't go any further without wincing constantly and holding her side, and Beth could hear them about to catch up. Taking in the hall before them, she opened the door to her right and helped Carol inside, closing and locking the door silently and quickly. She assisted Carol as she headed toward a bin nearby, and she gripped her side, feeling queasy now.

"Um, is there anything in here we can use?" Carol sucked in breath.

Beth looked around and mentally groaned. "Not really." This room just had medical supplies in it, and it was mostly masks and gloves. She doubted the rubbing alcohol would ease Carol's pain. What the hell were they going to do? They could fight their way out of there, but she didn't want risk Carol doubling over in pain at the wrong moment and getting shot. She could try and clear the way for them. She checked her clip to see how many bullets she had and cursed. "How bad is it?"

"I've had bruised ribs before, and I'll live." She rubbed her leg. "How's your ammo?"

"Low." Beth looked through the frosty glass to see if maybe someone was coming. "You?"

"Same, but I have this." She held up the weapon she'd fashioned.

Beth looked it over. "Resourceful." She went over the shelves to see if there was anything useful there. There was always something to be found, something to be made. They would get out of this. With their family so close, how could they not? She would finding something.

"Beth, I need you to do me a favor."

"Anythin'." She rummaged through the items, tossing gloves over her shoulder to see what else was there.

"I need you to go."

"What?" Her head jerked back to look at Carol. "You want me to go? And leave you?"

"Yes. Daryl and the others are surely right outside. You have to go—"

"I am not leavin' you!" Beth hissed softly. "Do you hear me? Where you go, I go. We'll be fine just as long as we're together." Splitting up never worked, not before or after the Turn. "Got it?"

Carol smirked. "Then get down!" She raised her gun, Beth dropped to the floor, and Carol shot the person who was creeping up on them. "Get the alcohol! Quickly, I can hear them coming."

Beth grabbed a bottle. "What are we gonna do with 'em?" She handed it to Carol and reached for the others.

"You'll see." She pushed herself up and reached into her shoe. "Grab one of the masks."

"They're down there!" a man shouted. "Surrounded 'em! Don't let 'em get away!"

"Move in!"

– – –

Rick and Michonne and Sasha creep up on the walkers, clearing out the walkers closet to them, one after another while Daryl and Noah made their way onto the roof closet to the hospital. Daryl checked out the situation from the new angle, scanning over the walkers in front of the hospital, and he glanced over at Noah, who was looking a little shaken.

"You know your way 'round a gun?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah."

"Look real nervous."

"Looks aren't deceiving." He glanced at Daryl. "I won't let you down with this."

"Ain't me you'd be lettin' down." Daryl shot a walker in the head that was closing in on Rick. "We ain't like these people. We look out for each other." He took out another walker. "That's what we do. Right now, two of ours are in there, and we'll get 'em out. You just gotta—"

Noah firing at the walker by the fence interrupted him, and Daryl smirked. "I got this." Noah moved to the next walker.

– – –

Fire burned along the hall, the scent of burning flesh filled the air, chocking Carol and Beth as they sucked in air from their positions on the floor. It was a risky move, but it had worked. The remaining survivors who wanted to kill them were dead. Well, the ones that were running toward them were dead. They didn't know about Dr. Edwards, but the cops were dead. The threat was gone.

Beth coughed against the mask she had, feeling dizzy and it burned when she swallowed. She removed the mask and tossed aside. She pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, groaning slightly at the pain in her wrists, and she exhaled. She looked over at Carol, and she climbed to her feet, stumbling a bit. She looked herself over; she was fine and nothing was on fire.

"Carol?" She went to her side. "Carol?"

"I'm fine." She gripped her ribs. "Let's get the hell out of here."

Beth opened the door then wrapped her arm around Carol's hips and helped her to her feet. They exited the closet and started down the hall, hearing a few voices. Beth reached for her gun just in case there were more people who wanted to kill them ahead, and as they rounded the corner, they came across four people in scrubs. They were shaking and coughing, bruised and limping even. They were victims.

"Did you...do all this?" one of the woman asked.

"Yeah," Beth nodded, "we did."

"Why?" a young boy asked. "You destroyed this place! The rotters are going to get in here! They'll kill us!"

"Stop!" an older woman commanded. "They saved us! Show some respect."

"Do you—?"

Beth was interrupted by a car driving through the front door, the building shook, and they were knocked down or into walls. The survivors screamed and covered their heads as it felt like the building were falling down, and Beth looked over her shoulder to see Michonne waving them down.

"They're here!" Beth smiled. "Come on!"

"Go!" Carol told the survivors. "C'mon, run!"

They didn't have to be told twice, they ran over to where Michonne was and Sasha and Rick helped them out of the trunk, and Beth turned to Carol.

"Let's go home."

"Yeah."

Michonne hurried over to assist them, Beth took one side and Michonne took the other. They walked her to the car, Michonne made Beth go through first, and she slipped through and blinked at the bright sun hitting her eyes. She saw Sasha and Rick talking out the last few walkers then motioning for the others to get into the cars. She turned to help Carol get out of the car, Michonne climbed through and slid out, and Carol followed, sitting in the trunk.

"They have medicine," Carol told Michonne. "Gauze, disinfectants, and plenty of medicines. They probably have food here as well. We could use that."

"We'll go in," Michonne replied, "but first we need to get you in a car and relax."

"I can take care of myself." She stood up. "Who knows how much longer we'll have until more walkers show up, go."

"I'll come too." Beth set a hand on Carol's shoulder then pulled the jasper out of her pocket. "Here, this is yours."

"It's technically Carl's." She accepted the green stone from the young girl. "I think he'll want it back."

Beth smiled a little. "Me too."

"Then you can do the honors." She slipped it back into Beth's hand, and Beth squeezed Carol's hand before she and Michonne headed back inside and Carol walked toward the cars.

"Carol." Rick hurried over to help her. "Are your ribs broken or bruised?"

"Just bruised." She squinted at the light. "I'll be fine. Beth and Michonne went inside to gather medical supplies."

"All right. I'll join 'em. Sasha and Noah are going to take the survivors back to the church, so if you want, you can ride back with them."

She nodded and walked away.

"Sure you don't need a hand?" Rick called after her.

"Just go and help them."

Noah saw Carol and gave her a smile. "Hey."

She returned it. "Hey. Beth's fine. She went back for the supplies."

He nodded. "Good. I'll talk to her when she comes to the church." He looked her over. "Are you all right?"

"Just worry about the survivors. Are any of them injured?"

"Luckily, no. They're scared, but they're good people. You can trust them."

She didn't say anything.

"Daryl's over there." He pointed to the car behind him. "He's about siphon gas from the other cars."

She looked over then back at him. "You're following Sasha back to the church?"

"Yes."

"Can you drive?"

"Yeah, I can drive. Why? Worried you'll wind up hurt even more if I'm driving?"

"A little." She smirked. "I'll wait for the others and head back with them. Maybe next time."

"Maybe."

Daryl bent down to start siphoning gas from the more shitty cars since he was the fastest at it—nobody else wanted to do it also—and from the look of the hospital, his girls had given them hell. He smirked proudly, his entire being want to go and seek them out, but he had to get gas. It was too important, especially for their next stop. Then he saw Carol hobble her way over to him. He dropped the hose and gathered her up in an airtight hug; she groaned from the tight embrace, and he stepped back, hands still close to her arms. "Sorry."

"I wasn't complaining," she paused, "Pookie."

He smirked and hugged her once more, inhaling the scent of smoke and blood from her. This woman was going to be the death of him. Christ, she was one of the most maddening, challenging woman he'd ever met. Damn, he was glad she was mostly unharmed. She was breathing and walking and fighting the good fight. He never doubted she wouldn't. "What hurts?" He released her slowly, looking her over, but her clothes were dirty and bloody, so he couldn't be sure what blood was hers and what blood was somebody elses'. It seemed they gave hell back. If he didn't know everyone in that hospital was dead or soon-to-be dead, he would make those fuckers pay for what they did to them. Another reason he was getting gas: he wouldn't use his control. "Anythin' broke?"

"Nothing that won't heal. I just need to rest and recuperate."

"You're with me then." He nodded his chin to the car beside them. "I'm takin' that one back, and you're ridin' with me."

"Am I child now?"

"No, but I ain't lettin' you outta my sight." He met her eyes. "You ain't runnin' away on me. If I can't, you can't."

"Shouldn't you worry more about what happens when the cure's here? What will you, Mr. Hunter-Gather, do then?" She crossed her arms loosely.

"What'll you do?" he challenged.

"Find a decent bed with a working shower, which you can use from time to time, because we both know no matter what happens in this world, you will caked head-to-toe in dirt." She sighed blissfully at the idea of a hot shower. "You won't get out of answering this. What will you do?"

"Find a house with a damn good chair, a decent bottle of whiskey and rest." She laughed briefly, trying to groan in pain and worry him more. "Hell, I might even get a dog."

"Yeah, 'cause that worked out last time," Beth quipped, holding a bag of supplies. Rick and Michonne were going to check out the rest of the hospital, but they wanted her to clean her wrist and rest. It seemed infections were just as bad nowadays.

"Ain't my fault the damn dog brought friends," he retorted.

"Heheh." She handed the bag to one of the survivors and walked over to him, giving him a tight hug, smiling widely. She knew he would be all right. He was a survivor. They all were, and now they were all together again. They were a family again. It was all going to be all right now. She'd been waiting for this for days, and it was finally here. She was so blessed, especially knowing how cruel the world was now. "See, we'll be good."

He rolled his eyes, but held her a little tighter. He was worried about what those people could have done to her. After learning about Randall's group and the Claimers, part of him always worried about the women of their group. Being taken the way she was, he knew they weren't good people. She had been beaten by the look of it, but she was alive and seemed normal. Girl was tough, having learned a little bit of fighting from watching and learning how to tend to basic wounds from Hershel. She was best suited to survive, having both the hope and faith, and the ability to kill and to heal. There was no denying that. She took care of herself. Damn, all he probably missed was her and Carol holding their own against those assholes. He was proud of Beth, but... "Don't start singin' now."

She stepped back and smirked. "Only if they're no CDs in the cars."

"She ain't ridin' back with us," Daryl told Carol jokingly.

She laughed. "Like I'm givin' you a choice." She turned to Carol. "Someone has to make sure Carol rests. You're obviously doin' a bad job of it!"

Carol smiled. "I think I'll take my chances with Noah."

"Noah's here? Wait, what about Maggie? Where's Maggie?" Beth's eyes brightened and she looked around the lot for her older sister, her heart feeling too light almost.

"'Bout Maggie..." Daryl averted his eyes, and Beth's heart dropped. "She ain't with us."

"She's...back at the camp though, right?" She studied his face, knowing Maggie was still alive in her heart. "She just protectin' the others or somethin', isn't she?"

"She's alive," Daryl assured her. "She went with Glenn and a few new others to Washington. There's a man whose got a cure. We're gonna go after 'em just as soon as we can."

"Wait, a what?" Beth stared at him. "A cure? An actual cure?!"

Daryl walked away to check his hearing as Carol explained Eugene and Abraham and Rosita and Tara to her as best she could. Sasha and Noah got into the cars and drove back to the church.

– – –

"They had a lot of supplies." Rick swiped the last pack of seeds.

"We'll get some fresh fruit and vegetables for once." Michonne grabbed the last of the apples and met Rick at the door. "Feeling nostalgic?" She smirked, her eyes moving to the pack of seeds.

"Y'll never got to taste those peas, but they were damn good." He stuffed them into his pocket as his bag was too full. "Let's get on back."

They headed out of the cafeteria and down the hall, seeing and smelling the burnt body bodies. Rick thought of Karen and David for a moment then shook his head. They were all alive. They were all heading back and then to Washington. This was one hell of a victory.

"Hold up." Michonne heard a man muttering, and she looked into a hospital room to find a doctor sitting on the gurney. She glanced at Rick and was about to speak when he shot himself in the head. She didn't even flinch.

Rick stepped into the room and picked up the gun then he checked the clip. He looked at the man, shook his head and walked out. He could only hope he found in death what couldn't in life. That was all he could hope for the ones who lost their way. His way was to get back to his family and ending this nightmare.


	4. No Cure, But Hope

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing._**

––

Beth was sleeping with her head in Carol's lap as Daryl drove them back to the church with Rick and Michonne ahead of them. He had found a CD in the glove compartment and it filled the car with soft, peaceful sounds. Carol stroked Beth's hair, smiling and contented that this time everything worked out. No one had dead either.

Daryl glanced back in the rearview mirror when Carol sniffed softly. "You okay?"

"Of course I am." She smiled back at him. "I'm numb from painkillers, and we all made it."

"Yeah, we did." He ran his hand over his jaw. "It'll be all right."

She blinked a few times. "Maybe one day, it will be."

He wanted to reach back and squeeze her knee consolingly, but he didn't know which leg was injured, and he didn't want to hurt her. He just studied her, chewing on his bottom lip, and he grunted, turning his attention fully back to the road.

––

"Judith!" Beth exclaimed, running up the steps to the church to the baby girl in Carl's arms. "Oh, my God!" She took the baby gently and held her; Carl smiled at her reaction. "Hey, Judy." Beth smiled lovingly down at the baby in her arms. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Carl replied for himself.

She hugged him tightly, and they went inside together, talking.

"And the rest of us just don't exist," Michonne teased at the Beth and Judy.

"That's practically her daughter. Well, she's practically the group's daughter," Carol called back. "She'll need Beth around, especially when she's older."

"She'll have you too," Daryl murmured to her.

She didn't say anything back.

"Let's get inside," Rick announced. "We have quite a bit to discuss, catch everybody up with the plan."

Taking only what they needed for the night, they all headed into the church. Beth and Carl and Noah were resting on the first pew, Michonne and Rick were at the head of the room, Carol sat down three pews behind the kids, Daryl hovered in the back, and Father Gabriel was in the doorway, and Tyreese and Sasha were sitting in the pews across from Noah, Carl, Judith and Beth. The four survivors were crowding the back pews, still not sure of anything, let alone of the group before them.

"Didn't get a chance to really ask, but how are you holdin' up?" Rick asked Beth.

"I'm great." She smiled brightly. "Really, I am."

He nodded. "And you, Carol?"

"Same."

"Good. That's real good, 'cause come daybreak, we're headin' out." Rick was looking at Beth and Noah. "We found a man. He has a cure, and we're gonna catch up to Maggie and Glenn and the others, help get that man to Washington."

Beth nodded, holding Judith in her arms.

Noah glanced around. "Umm...I really appreciate everything you've all done for me, truly but uh... I have a group of my own. Back in Richmond. I'd like to return to them."

"You ain't a prisoner," Daryl informed him. "We'll give you a car, some supplies."

"That's right." Rick set his hand over the handle of the machete. "If any of y'all wanna go and find your old groups, feel free." He looked over their scared, lost faces. "Or you can come with us and put an end to this nightmare. It's up to you."

"This...cure?" One of the survivors asked. "How do we know that's not bullshit? How can you expect us to follow you blindly? We could come across hoards of rotters."

Rick then explained to them that they really had a choice to stay or to go and that if they went how they would protect each other. He wanted them to know that if they were just going to cower and put the rest of the group in danger, they shouldn't come. He wasn't going to risk his children or any of his family. Either they come and fight for all of them or they stay here and try to fend for themselves. It was as simple as that.

"Is she yours?" Noah asked, referring to the infant she refused to let go of.

"No." Beth met his eyes. "She's Carl's baby sister. Her mother was a friend of mine. She died."

"I'm sorry to hear that." He paused. "And I'm sorry I left you back there."

Beth shook her head. "No, don't be. I'm glad you made it out of there. I really am." She set a hand on his shoulder. "Don't feel guilty over it. We made it out of there, so did Carol and so did those four."

He nodded. "Well, then let me thank you." He smiled at her. "Thank you, Beth. You saved my life."

Beth returned his smile. "You woulda done the same thing for me." She adjusted Judith on her lap. "Are you headin' out in the mornin'?"

He nodded. "It's been too long, and I don't want to wait another day. I'll rest here tonight, but yeah, in the morning, I'm going. I'll see who is left. I just hope there's anything left."

"There will be." Beth adjusted Judith again. "There will."

Carl smirked. "Having some trouble there?"

"She's gotten a little heavy." Beth laughed lightly. "It's okay. That's good, isn't it, Judy? Yes, it's amazin'."

"I think she missed you," Carl observed, watching his little sister grabbing at Beth and smiling.

Beth hugged the young child. "I missed her too."

Daryl pushed off the wall, taking his eyes off Carl, Noah, Judith and Beth. He felt good about today. Soon, Beth would be back with her sister. He would make sure Beth made it to Maggie. He couldn't bring Sophia back to Carol or stop the Governor before he destroyed their home and killed Hershel, but goddamn it, he was bringing Beth to Maggie. He would keep his eye on all of their backs, because this trip was going to be full of risks from both the dead and living, and he would make sure nobody else fell. He knew he couldn't keep that promise, but he was try his best. They all would.

He took a seat by Carol. "Lemme see."

"Excuse me?" She arched a brow.

"Your leg. I saw you limpin'. Lemme see."

"Daryl, I have more medical knowledge than you do; I can handle this myself." She looked at her injured leg. "I'm just tired anyway. I'll look at it in the morning."

"No, now." He moved to the other side of her. "C'mon."

She lifted her leg, the painkillers saving her from the pain, and he gently grasped her leg once it was resting over his, and he pushed her her pantleg up over her knee, looking at the scrapes and bruises that had been cleaned by the staff at the hospital. She'd really gotten banged up in the crash. Damn. She was fine, and she would heal, but he wished he'd taken some of these injuries himself.

"For someone who guards their emotions like it's a hobby, you should really work on your poker face," Carol teased.

His eyes swept up. "They ain't bad."

"I know." She looked over the dirty scrubs. "I wish I had some decent clothes to change into it."

He gently covered her leg back up. "Try and get some rest. I'll wake you for dinner."

She smiled softly at him. "Okay."

He rose. "Be right back." He headed into Father Gabriel's office and swiped a pillow from his bed. He returned and handed it to Carol. "Here."

"I should get into car accidents more often with all this special treatment."

"Stop." His tone was soft, but very serious.

"Thank you." She accepted the pillow and lied down.

He nodded and went to speak with Rick, Noah walked to the back of the church to have a few words with the four survivors he knew from the hospital and to let them know they were morning than welcome to come with him.

Carl glanced over as Rick and Daryl began to speak and turned to Beth. "So, you and Daryl?"

"What about us?" She loosened Judith's hands from her hair.

"You guys made it out of the prison together. How was it?" He licked his bottom lip. "With me and my dad, it was...rough. We were alone together for a short while before Michonne found us, and I was an asshole to him. I thought..." he shook his head. "It was stupid."

"It was rough with us too." She glanced at Daryl and Rick. "He had his walls up. I didn't realize how hard it was for him. I didn't know Daryl all that well, and I can't say I know all that better now, but we have something now." She smiled. "We're closer."

"That's good. We all need to be close and have each others backs for what comes next."

"Yeah, we do." She inhaled. "God, I miss Maggie so much. I can't wait to get on the road and catch up to her and Glenn."

Carl nodded. "You should rest while you can. Ty can take Judith."

"No, it's okay. I've got her."

He smiled at her quick response. "All right then."

––

"Carol?" Daryl gently touched her shoulder, and her eyes snapped open. "Easy. It's me."

"I know it's you." She exhaled softly. "Dinner's ready?"

He nodded. "C'mon." He watched her sit up. "Do you need anything? Any painkillers?"

"No, I'll be fine."

He pressed his lips together. "I'll bring you a plate and some water."

"Daryl, I can get my own food—"

"I know, but I wanna get it for you." He retrieved a plate for her and himself, taking a seat beside her on the pew and propping his leg up on the back of the pew in front of him. He began to eat without using any utensil, and he felt Carol's eyes on on him as she ate a forkful of kidney beans. He finally stopped and looked over at her. "What?"

She shrugged a shoulder and ate some of the owl meat on her plate.

He then watched her, trying to bother her with his stare as much as hers had bothered him. He wasn't doing quite a good job as she had, so he grunted and returned to eating, glaring when she started smiling around the drink of water she was taking.

"Here." Beth offered a plate to Noah. "It's not guinea pig, but that's good news."

He chuckled and accepted the plate. "Thanks."

"It's no problem." She sat down beside him. "What were you thinkin' about?"

He shrugged.

"You can tell me. I won't think it's stupid or anythin'." She searched his deep, brown eyes.

"I was thinking about my home," he slowly said, moving beans around on his plate. "It's been so long since I've been there, and I wonder how much has changed, how many of the people have died and how many newcomers there are. I wonder how my old friends are doing. It's really silly."

"No, it's not." She pulled her legs in and rested her arms on her knees, looking up at the stained glass ahead of them. "I haven't been in a church since this all started."

"You went to church often?"

She nodded. "I used to sing in the choir."

"You sing?"

"Yeah, I still sing." She sighed softly. "What are you going to do once this nightmare is over?"

"I don't know." He crossed his legs, resting the plate on his lap. "I haven't really thought about it. It sounds a little too good to be true, you know. It's easier to not get your hopes up for something that may not happen."

"Just because it's too good to be true, doesn't mean it is," Beth replied.

"You believe that?"

"I do." She paused. "I try to."

He smiled. "That's good. Keep...trying to believe that."

"I will." She bumped her shoulder to his. "Maybe one day, maybe over the phone or somethin', you'll be able to tell me that and believe it as well."

"Maybe."

"Eat. You'll need your strength to heal and for tomorrow."

"I'm heading home, and you're off to help save the world." They laughed a little then he shook his head. "Man, it's been so long. I don't know how to act in the world anymore. Grocery stores instead of raiding houses and hoping you find a can of food that's still good, homes where you don't have to keep someone on watch, not fearing that someone will die in their sleep and attack you... Damn."

She lowered her legs. "One day, I guess this will all seem like a dream, but it doesn't feel that way."

"I don't know how this will ever seem like a dream."

They didn't say anything else. Imagine this in a history book years from now. Christ.

"Can we trust them?" Michonne asked Rick, referring to the group of survivors who were huddled up at the back of the church, eating and whispering, trying not to get in anybody's way. "To have our backs out there, I mean."

"We have to start somewhere," Rick answered. "When we're out there, they'll learn sooner or later, they have to protect us all over just themselves. We need each other."

"How long do you think it'll take to catch up to the others?"

"Hopefully not too long. Who knows how far they go or what they came cross. They may have had to backtrack some; they had come across a herd. They'll let us know where they are."

She gave a nod.

"Even after all this time, they're seem closer than ever," Carl said from beside his father.

"Daryl and Carol?" Rick asked.

"Yeah." Carl twisted the lid to his water closed. He wondered what happened when they were out there looking for Beth. They wouldn't tell him or anybody, because it wasn't their business. Carl wondered if it had anything to what happened between Tyreese and Carol and Judith after the prison fell. Ty and Carol had...something. It wasn't a connection, more like something that kept them close. When he thought about the possibilities, he wasn't sure he wanted to know, not that they would tell him. Or anybody else, from the look of it. _Almost_ like him and Beth too. They shared silent conversations by looks. Whatever happened between them was for the better. The trust was unbreakable among all of them, and that was rare and welcome.

– – –

Rick woke the group early that next morning, because they couldn't afford to waste the daylight anymore than they already had. Daryl and Sasha gathered the remaining supplies and put them into the cars, Tyreese was tending to Judith, and Rick spoke to Noah and the two survivors that were going with him. Carl and Michonne were checking on their guns and ammo when Beth and Carol came to.

Carol pushed herself up and saw a pile of clothes above her head. She reached over and found the shirts she'd had one before she changed and tried to leave with her belt, weapons and a pair of cargo pants along with a bottle of water and painkillers. She took the pills with a small sip of water. She knew Daryl was probably working outside, so she gathered the clothes and stepped into the bathroom to change.

Beth rubbed her hand at the pain in her neck, almost missing the hospital bed, and she saw some clothes on the floor. She'd felt someone by her head earlier that morning, but she was too exhausted to care. She knew Rick and Michonne were on watch, and none of the survivors were stupid enough to do anything that might cause them harm. She probably knocked the clothes off the pew.

Beth waited for Carol came out of the bathroom since nobody needed any help then she slipped inside after her. As Beth changed out of her scrubs, the jasper fell out of her pocket, and she scooped it up. She set it on the sink and changed into the clothes, leaving her dirty scrubs with Carol's and grasping the jasper on her way out.

Carl carried the bag of guns outside, stopping only when he heard Beth calling to him. "What is it?"

"Here." She held her hand out. "Open your hand, palm up."

He did, and she set the jasper in his palm. He looked at it for a minute then shook his head. "You keep it."

"But it's yours."

He returned it to her hand. "Keep it. I want you to have it."

"Well, thank you." She closed her fingers around it. "Need a hand?"

Daryl set a bucket into the back of the trunk and glanced over, finding Carol smirking at him, and he squinted at her, the sun catching his eyes. "Morin'."

"Good morning." She crossed her arms. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"You know exactly what."

Shrugging, he closed the trunk and picked up a bucket that wouldn't fit. "You look good. You sleep all right?"

"I did." She uncrossed her arms to set her hands over his on the bucket. "Here, let m—"

"No." He didn't move back, but his voice was stern, leaving no room for arguing. "You ain't gonna heal if you're liftin' heavy-ass shit. We got this."

"I'm not going to sit around while you all do everything for me. That's going to get somebody killed."

"Keep watch for walkers then." He paused. "But don't go runnin' after 'em."

"That sounds like such fun. Sure I can't just watch the grass grow instead?"

"I'm just thinkin' 'bout your health, which you should be doin' too."

"Fine." She removed her hands and walked away toward the first car. She leaned against the hood and folded her arms over her chest, exhaling deeply. She didn't want to argue with Daryl, but she was fine. A little pain here and there, but she was fine. Pain reminded them that they were alive. She had that reminder every day.

Daryl saw Beth with Ass Kicker and gave her a nod. "Mornin'."

"Mornin'." She smiled at him, a thanks for the decent clothes. "You did owe me."

He smirked and walked away.

"I slept good too!" she called after him, smiling at the baby that chewed on her little fist. "Heh, is that good, Judy? Is it?" She kissed the baby's forehead, giggling at the sight of all of this, all of them. Her daddy was an angel watching over them, and even though she missed him, he was safe now and with Ma, Otis, Patricia, Jimmy, Shawn and Josephine. One day, she would be with them too, but one day wasn't today. She spotted Carol. She approached her, adjusting the preciously plump baby once more. "Hey."

"Have you glued her to your hip?" Carol teased.

"Practically." She was grinning. "I ain't lettin' her out of my sight, but I will share. Do you wanna hold her?"

"No, I'm good."

"Carl told me you and Ty saved her."

"It was Tyreese."

"Don't be modest. It was both of you. She couldn't have made it without you both there to protect her."

"Shouldn't you be saying goodbye to Noah?" Carol rubbed her arm. "He's leaving soon, isn't he?"

"He's gone to get water with Ty. Rick wanted to make sure we were set when it came to water." She met Carol's eyes. "Are you all right?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"You were hit by a car."

"Well, I'm as well as anyone in my shoes can be." She shrugged a shoulder. "Don't worry about me."

"I will anyway. You're my family, and I worry about family." Judith made a sound that resembled "yeah", and they both laughed. "See, even Judy agrees."

"Hmm." She scanned the area before them and saw movement. "Get back!" Carol pushed her behind the car, and she gripped her gun, seeing feet coming out of the woods. "What the hell?"

Abraham, Rosita, and Tara came out of the treeline then Glenn, Maggie and Eugene, who had been roughed up, followed. They didn't have many supplies with them, they were a little cut up here and there, and they all looked a little dead. What happened to them?

"Oh, my God." Beth handed Judith to Carol and took off running before her mind could even process Maggie was right in front of her. She was running faster than she ever had in her life, her eyes burning with tears of happiness and her lips formed the lightest, most contented smile. "Maggie!"

Maggie rubbed her aching arm, glancing over at Glenn and Eugene, still feeling the tension. She was glad that they were back at the church, but she didn't know how they were going to tell the others that Eugene had lied. It was a horrible lie; to offer them everything on a silver platter only to yank it away. The only good thing that came out of it was no one had died, and they were all going to be together again. They just...didn't know where the hell they were going now.

At the sound of feet hitting the ground, she lifted her head. She stared for a moment at the blur of green and blue then that round, happy face came into focus. Her heart dropped, her entire body went numb, and she couldn't move. She didn't know what to do even if she could move. After losing the prison and her father, she kept her mind focused on Glenn, finding him and then after she did, she found the others and learned of Beth from Daryl. She was more willing to believe Beth was dead, because that was easy. Being dead was easy. Being alive in this world after someone takes you by force... Sometimes dead was better.

But Beth was alive. Her little sister was alive and coming for her. "Beth," the name felt strange on her tongue, but it didn't matter. "Beth, oh my, God!" She dropped her gun and ran the last few feet to meet her sister. The force of their running then colliding knocked them to the ground, and they only moved to sit up, never letting go of each other. They were a mixture of tears and laughter, and it was amazing.

Glenn smiled and picked the gun his wife had discarded, seeing Carol and Daryl were back. "Well, damn." Glenn lowered himself down beside his wife and sister-in-law, they both wrapped an arm around his shoulder and dragged him into the hug.

Tara ducked her head at the sight of two sisters reunited, thinking of Lilly and then of Meghan. She took a deep breath and rubbed her jaw. She missed them more each day, but they were at peace now. She could make peace with them being gone because of that.

"What the hell?" Daryl hit Rick's shoulder to get his attention. "Look."

Rick turned from his conversation with Sasha and narrowed his eyes as Abraham, Rosita, Tara and Eugene walked over to them. He, Daryl and Sasha met them halfway as Glenn helped Maggie and Beth stand up, and Carol joined them.

"What're y'all doin' back?" Rick already had a feeling he knew the answer.

"Eugene," Abraham hissed, "answer him."

Eugene looked at Rick. "I'm sorry, but I lied to you all. I'm not a scientist; I don't know how to cure this thing."

A beat.

"Just how long were you going to keep this to yourself?" Sasha demanded.

"We only just found out ourselves," Rosita murmured. "As you can see, someone couldn't take the news well." Her eyes were glaring daggers at Abraham. No matter how pissed she was at Eugene, Abraham shouldn't have tried to beat the life out of him. They were lucky he was unsuccessful.

"There's no...cure?" Beth whispered from her sister's arms.

"Is that so surprising?" Carol glanced at them. "Jenner only told us basically all he knew was it wasn't airborne. He didn't even know if it was microbial, viral, parasitic, or fungal. He had equipment with him and samples as well."

"Why lie in the first place?" Daryl asked.

"I didn't want to die, and if I wasn't of value, no one would've had me," he muttered.

They began to argue then, Carol noticed the four survivors from the hospital starting look at them, and she didn't want to leave the baby in the middle of the argument, so she took the baby with her. She told them to wait inside while they talked, and she offered them a smile. She sighed a little at the looks they have her, and held Judith closer in her arms, wondering where in the hell they were going to go to keep this baby girl safe, to keep them all safe.

––

After explaining to the others who hadn't heard from Eugene that there was no cure, they all sat in the church, whispers filling the air, and Noah stood in the back, trying to decided whether or not to speak. He looked around the room, the feeling of hopeless pouring off some and the feeling of what next from most, and his eyes fell on Beth. No, not Beth, but the baby in her arms. Yes, he had to speak.

"You can come with me," Noah finally announced, "to my home. I don't know what we'll find, but you're more than welcome to come with me and find out."

They spoke on it for a while—asking where it was, how safe it was since last he'd been there, what supplies they had, how much room there was—then they agreed it was the best place, possibly the only place, to go. They found alternative routes in case walkers or a roadblock of cars obstructed their path.

"I wish we had that car seat," Carl told his dad.

"Well, we got you," Rick teased back.

Carl smirked.

Michonne got into the passenger seat, Sasha and Tyreese were in the back with Carl. Glenn, Maggie, Beth, Rosita, Tara and Eugene squeezed into another car with Beth practically on her sister's lap and Tara's lap. Noah had the younger survivors in the back with him, Daryl was driving, and Carol was in the passenger seat. They'd called dibs, because they were trying to see if they could make room for the other two older survivors. One of them was going to stay, and the other was staying, because there wasn't enough room, and they didn't want to be in the way.

"We'll find more cars in the city," Daryl told them. "It'll be tight for now, but...we'll get there."

"We can fit one more," Carol told them. "We can probably fit another in the trunk. There's space there as well."

"I'm not that healthy," the man told them to stop their efforts. "I won't last long, and spending my last days in a church seems ideal."

Carol stepped back. "All right. Gabriel, do you want to ride with us?"

"Sure." He walked over to the car and squeezed in.

"Then you're with us." Daryl nodded his head toward the car then nudged Carol's arm to let them say goodbye. They stopped by the passenger door of their car, and Daryl began, "H—"

"If you're asking me how I feel, please **stop**. I'll be fine, but if you keep asking me that, I'll have to tape your mouth shut."

He smirked. "Fine, I won't ask no more."

"Lair," she teased.

"Prove it."

"Well, I can always set my hand against your bare chest to see if your heart's racing with fear of being caught on telling a lie." She reached her hand out, fingers wiggling.

"**Stop**."

She smiled and got into the car, Daryl shook his head and walked around the car, opening the door. He smiled a little to himself then climbed in and started the car, following Rick.


End file.
